Remotely controlled car uncoupling systems



May 22, 1956 J. w. HEIMASTER ETAL 2,746,615

REMOTELY CONTROLLED CAR UNCOUPLING SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 2, 1954 Z-SheetS-Sheet 1 Uncoupling Lgrch Moror a Z lncoupling Larch 26 COMdC1S&L|ml'|' f2 Confacfs & Llml'f Coupler Q Swirch Plungers 7 Sw'fch Pungers 76 Face of Conracr 70g 50 54 Uncoupling Co 4 53 Lagch Motor Trailing E Wiih Control Srat. imperative K90 LConrrol Srafion 74? Leading CarAcfing As Prime Mover mrwm INVENTORS JOHN W. HEIMASTER ROBERT R. COSNER BY W a? ATTORNEY May 22, 1956 REMOTELY CONTROLLED CAR UNCOUPLING SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Face of Contact 50 Lmflering'l Coupler \Zg Llmit Switch 5? Limit Switch /Z 3 Ff fZ Uncoupling Latch Motor uncoupling Latch Motor um I Ca b Control 6} J t 7/0 Uncoupling l Push Button INVENTORS JOHN W. HEIMASTER ROBERT R. COSNER av W W ATTORNEY United States Patent REMOTELY CONTROLLED CAR UNCOUPLING SYSTEMS John W. Heimaster, Charleston, and Robert R. Cosuer, South Charleston, W. Va., assiguors to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application September 2, 1954, Serial No. 453,876

6 Claims. (Cl. 213-412) This invention relates to remotely controlled car uncoupling systems for trains.

According to the invention there is provided a novel system by means of which the last car and only the last car in a train of cars can be automatically uncoupled from a control station that is remote with respect to such car by simply manually operating a push-button switch at such control station, which control station is located in the cab of a locomotive that is pulling the train, for example. Coupling is accomplished with an automatic car coupler. This permits the operator of a train of cars to couple and uncouple the last car in the train at will, thus eliminating the need for abrakeman.

In a modification of the invention control stations are located in each car of a train, the control station in the head car (locomotive) of the train being used by the engineer to remotely uncouple the last car. This modification is suitable for subway and elevated trains, wherein each car is normally equipped with an operators station. The switching service in train-makeup operations that cars of this type must undergo requires that they be equipped with a control station for service, at

times, as the head car.

The invention provides: 1. A remotely controlled uncoupling circuit which is actuated simply by the momentary pressing of a button. The last car is thereupon uncoupled from the train by an automatic sequence of operations which require no further attention and leaves the last car ready to couple again when the operation is terminated.

2. A remotely controlled uncoupling system which permits the engineer to uncouple the last car at will in trains of any length.

3. The remotely controlled uncoupling system of the invention comprises readily available equipment.

4. The invention is suitable for trains wherein each car has a control station, being operative when the selected control station is in use.

5. The invention removes the need of hand uncoupling in certain switching operations, such as in the coalcarrying rail haulage system for continuous bore mining.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in elevation of the end of a car provided with a trailing coupler of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of such car and coupler;

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating that form of the invention in which each car is provided with a control station; and

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of that form of the invention in which only one control station is provided for the entire train.

Each car 10 of the train is provided with a trailing coupler 12, a leading coupler 13, and an uncoupling motor 14 for driving a winch 16 having a cable 18 that is connected to an uncoupling latch 20 of each trailing coupler 12; elevating such latch when the motor is energized to Wind the cable on such winch. The motor 14 may be of the direct current type in which the field circuit (not shown) remains unchanged and of constant polarity.

Each trailing coupler 12 contains actuators (plungers) 22 and 23 for operating two normally closed switches 24 and 25, respectively, when mating coupler faces engage each other, causing the plungers to be operated, opening such normally closed switches. The switches 22 and 23 are held open by a mating coupler; thus, they assume their normally closed position only when there is no coupler 13 mating with the coupler 12 in which they are mounted. Each of the couplers is also provided with four contacts (spring loaded plungers) 28, 30, 32 and 34, which mate with corresponding contacts when leading and trailing couplers engage each other.

Each motor 14 has the extent of its travel controlled by normally closed upper and lower limit switches 36 and 38 which, when the motor 14 has elevated or lowered the uncoupling latch 20 a desired extent, opens, opening the circuit energizing such motor.

Each car is also equipped with a double-pole singlethrow switch 40 which, when closed, allows the control station of such car to be operated. A D. C. source (battery) 42 and an A. C. source (motor-generator) 44 are provided in each car 10. The'D. C. source 42 in all cases runs the motor 14 on the second to the last car of the train. The A. C. source 44 serves to energize a control circuit which includes a contactor (relay) 48 and a normally-open, push-button switch 50 when the latter is manually closed. The contactor 48 comprises a D. C. coil 52 and an A. C. coil 54; and two double-pole doublethrow switches 56 and 58 for controlling the direction of rotation of such motor 14.

Closure of switch 50 (assuming that a control station to be operated is made operative by closing switch 40), establishes a circuit including wire 60 leading from one side of A. C. source 44 to switch 50, wire 62 to A. C. coil 54, wire 66 to one side of switch 40, and wire 68 leading to the other side of the A. C. source 44. This actuates the contactor 48 of the selected control station. It also actuates the contactors 48 of the other cars through a car line bus 76 comprising coupler contacts 34, wire 62, 'A. C. coil 54, wire 72 and wheel 74 of the trailing car, rail 76, and wheel 74 and wire 72 of the selected car. All of the contactors 48 of the train thus are pulled to the right and remain so as long as the switch 50 is kept closed. When the switch 50 opens, however, the sequence of operations initiated by closure of such switch takes place automatically.

Such sequence includes energization by the D. C. source 42 of a circuit including wire 78, switch 56, wire 80, D. C. coil 52 (which operates to hold the contactor 48 to the right), wire 84, coupler contact 28, wire 86, normally closed limit 25, wire 88, coupler contact 30, normally-closed limit 36, wire 90, motor 14 (which raises the uncoupling latch 20 of the next to the last car only), wire 92, wire 94, switch 58', wire 72, wire 66, switch 40, wire 36, Signal A, and wire 93. The motor 14 is thus energized and raises the uncoupling latch 20 until the upper limit switch 36 opens, opening the motor energizing circuit and causing the motor 14 to stop. This also deenergizes signal A and the D. C. holding coil 52, causing the contactor 48 to fall back to the left.

The engineer then operates the train to pull it away from the last car. When a car is thus uncoupled, switches 24 and 25 on the remaining last car of the train assume their normally closed position. This automatically energizes a D. C. circuit from source 42 through wire 78, switch 56, wire 100, limit switch 24, wire 102, normally closed limit switch 38, wire 92, motor 14, wire 90, switch 58, wire 72, wire 66, switch 40, wire 96, signal A, and wire 98. This reverses the motor 14 which lowers the uncoupling latch 20 until the normally closed lower limit switch 38 opens, opening such circuit and restoring the components in proper position for automatic coupling and subsequent uncoupling.

In the modification of Fig. 4, only one control station 101 is provided which is located in the cab of a locomotive 103 that pulls the entire train of cars 104, 106. Otherwise the system is substantially similar to that described above. With reference to Fig. 4, a detailed description of the sequence of operations is as follows:

1. The engineer momentarily presses the push-button switch 50, establishing an A. C. circuit 110 containing A. C. contactor coils 54, causing the contactors 48 to assume the abnormal position (to the right) on all of the cars.

2. When the contactors are in such position, the D. C. circuit 112 on the next to last car 104, is closed, because that circuit contains a plunger switch 25 which is in its normally closed position, being on the last car 106 of the train.

3. With the D. C. circuit 112 closed, the signal A indicates such fact, and the D. C. contactor coil 52 on such next to last car 104 holds contactor 48 in such abnormal position after the engineer has released the push-button switch 50.

4. When D. C. circuit 112 in the next to last car 104 is energized, the motor 14 in that car begins to rotate and, through the winch 16, Figs. 1 and 2, lifts the uncoupling latch or pin on the coupler 12.

5. When the motor 14 has lifted the uncoupling pin 20 a sufiicient amount, normally closed upper limit switch 36 opens (by means of a cam or dog that is physically a part of the motor-winch system), and thus opens the D. C. circuit 112 which stops the motor 14 and also causes the signal A to cease indicating.

6. The engineer causes the locomotive to advance, the train separating only the last car 106. This action thus allows normally closed switch 24 on the car 104 to close and causes the D. C. circuit 112 on such car to again become energized through the normal position of the contactor 48; however, the polarity of the circuit 112 with respect to motor 14 is reversed with respect to that of the previous operation.

7. With the D. C. circuit 112 thus closed with reverse polarity, the uncoupling motor 14 is automatically reversed and lower the uncoupling pin 20 to a predetermined point until the normally closed lower limit switch 38 opens, thus opening the circuit 112 and stopping the motor 14. Again the start and finish of the motor operations are indicated by the pilot light or ammeter A in the locomotive cab 102. The knuckle of the coupler 12 is now open, the uncoupling pin 20 at rest, and coupler 12 is ready to automatically couple by conventional means as future operations indicate.

We claim:

1. A remotely controlled car uncoupling system for uncoupling the last car only of a train of cars from a remote control station, which comprises, in combination, leading and trailing couplers on each car which are adapted to couple automatically when the cars are brought together in series on the same track, means including limit switches for operating said trailing coupler on the next to the last car only to uncouple the latter from the train, comprising a motor, a control circuit and a motor energizing circuit, means including contacts adapted to mate when said couplers between cars are coupled, and, two normally closed switches adapted to be opened when such couplers are coupled, a contactor on each car, a source of control current, a source of motor energizing current, and a car uncoupling switch at said control station arranged so that the momentary operation of such uncoupling switch at said control station results in the energization of all of the contactors and the establishment of a contactor holding circuit therefor, causing a motor energization circuit to be established through one of said normally closed switches in the trailing coupler on the last car of the train, a limit switch on the next to the last car, and the motor on such next to the last car only, which sets the trailing coupler of such car so that it freely uncouples from the leading coupler of the last car when such couplers are moved apart, which results in the closure of the two coupler switches in the trailing coupler of the resulting last car in the train, one of which establishes a motor energizing circuit which automatically reverses the operation of said motor, causing the latter to set the trailing coupler for automatic coupling with the leading coupler of a car when such couplers are brought together, and restore the circuits for subsequent uncoupling of the last car only of the train in a similar manner.

2. A system as defined by claim 1, in which the control station is provided with a signal which operates when the motor energization circuit is energized.

3. A remotely controlled car uncoupling system for uncoupling the last car only of a train of cars from a control station that is remotely located with respect to such last car, which system comprises a source of direct current, a source of alternating current, a signal, and push-button switch located at said control station; a latch pin operating D. C. motor, a contactor, and lead ing and trailing automatic-coupling couplers associated with each car of said train; said couplers being each provided with four contacts which are adapted to form electrical connei tions with the corresponding contacts of the coupler mating therewith; means including insulated wires connecting the first ones of said contacts in series with one terminal of said switch, the other terminal of which is connected to one side of said A. C. source; means including insulated wires connecting the second ones of said contacts in series with one terminal of said D. C. source; said trailing couplers being each provided with an uncoupling latch pin and with upper and lower normally closed-latch pin limit switches; mechanical means connecting each motor to the corresponding latch pin and limit switches; means including insulated wires connecting the third ones of such contacts in circuit with the corresponding upper limit switches; said trailing couplers also being each provided with two normally closed plunger operated switches which are adapted to be opened by plungers of a trailing coupler mating therewith; circuit means connecting one of said plunger switches across the third and fourth contacts of the leading coupler of each car; means including an insulated wire connecting each latch pin upper limit switch to one side of its operating motor; circuit means including an insulated wire connecting each latch pin lower limit switch to the other side of said motor; said contactors each comprising an A. C. coil and a D. C. coil and two double pole-double throw switches; circuit means connecting one of said D. P.-D. T. switches across the other plunger switch and the other terminal of said D. C. source when both of said coils are de-energized; circuit means connecting said one D. P.-D. T. switch across one side of the D. C. coil and said other terminal of said D. C. source when one of said coils is energized; the other side of said D. C. coil being electrically connected to the fourth one of said contacts of the trailing coupler; circuit means connecting the other D. P.-D. T. switch across the one terminal of said A. C. source and to the wire connecting said latch pin upper limit switch to one terminal of said motor when both of the coils are de-energized; circuit means connecting such other D. P.-D. T. switch across such D. C. source terminal and the wire connecting the latch pin lower limit switch to the other terminal of said motor when one of said coils is energized; and circuit means including a common rail for the train and a wheel on each car connecting one side of such A. C. coils in parallel, the other side of such coils being connected to said one terminal of the corresponding push-button switch; so the cars can be automatically coupled to form the train by simply mating such couplers, and the last car of the train can be uncoupled by simply closing said push-button switch which results in the following automatic sequence of operations: the A. C. coil on each car is energized, operating each contactor, throwing the D. P.-D. T. switches thereof, closing a D. C. circuit on the next to the last car through one of the normally closed plunger switches in the trailing coupler of the last car, which D. C. circuit contains the motor, the normally closed upper limit switch, said D. C. contactor coil on the said next to the last car, and said signal all of which are energized by said D. C. source, the D. C. contactor thereupon holds the D. P.-D. T. switches of the contactor in such position, and the motor lifts the latch pin and opens the normally closed limit switch which breaks such D. C. circuit, stops the motor and de-energizes the signal; and when the last car is uncoupled by moving the mating couplers apart, the plunger switches of the car which was formerly the next to the last car and now is the last car of the train close and as a result, a D. C. circuit including said signal is established through the other plunger switch which runs the motor in reverse, lowering the latch pin until the lower limit switch opens such circuit, leaving the trailing coupler of the train open.

4. A system as defined by claim 3, in which each car of the train is provided with a control station which can be put in operation by simply closing a double polesingle throw switch in the D. C. and A. C. circuits, which switch is open when the station is not in use.

5. In a car uncoupling system for automatically uncoupling only the last car of a train of cars, the combination of a pair of normally closed coupler switches which are automatically opened when mating coupler faces are engaged with each other, and circuits including such switches for controlling the operation of said uncoupling means of the next to the last car only of the train, when uncoupling, and for controlling the operation of said uncoupling means of the last car of the train so that such means automatically restores the coupler for recoupling when the last car is uncoupled.

6. In a car uncoupling system for automatically uncoupling a trailing car from a leading car in a train of cars, the combination of coupler switches which are automatically opened when mating coupler faces are engaged with each other, and circuits including such switches for controlling the operation of said uncoupling means of only the leading car, when uncoupling, and for controlling the operation of said uncoupling means of the trailing car so that such means automatically restores the coupler for recoupling when the trailing car is uncoupled.

No references cited. 

